The screening of airport passengers & their checked baggage is a critical component in securing our nation's commercial aviation system. This report incorporates results from a survey of 155 Federal Security Directors -- the ranking Transportation Security Admin. (TSA) authority responsible for the leadership & coordination of TSA security activities at the nation's commercial airports. This report addresses: (1) actions TSA has taken to enhance training for passenger & checked baggage screeners & screening supervisors, (2) how TSA ensures that screeners complete required training, & (3) actions TSA has taken to measure & enhance screener performance in detecting threat objects. Charts & tables.

Nearly five years after the terrorist attacks of September 11, has the government adequately protected its citizens against terrorism and catastrophic disaster? The Forgotten Homeland : A Century Foundation Task Force Report gathers leading homeland security experts to analyze the nation's most significant vulnerabilities and propose strategies to reduce them. The report addresses terrorist and other threats, assesses the government's initiatives to date, and offers ideas for strengthening all aspects of our emergency response -- including our ability to respond to natural disasters such as Hurricane Katrina. Whether a policy expert or a concerned citizen, The Forgotten Homeland is required reading for those who wish to understand the security challenges facing the United States -- and how we can solve them.

The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) is an independent agency that works for Congress. The GAO watches over Congress, and investigates how the federal government spends taxpayers dollars. The Comptroller General of the United States is the leader of the GAO, and is appointed to a 15-year term by the U.S. President. The GAO wants to support Congress, while at the same time doing right by the citizens of the United States. They audit, investigate, perform analyses, issue legal decisions and report anything that the government is doing. This is one of their reports.

GAO-05-457 Aviation Security: Screener Training and Performance Measurement Strengthened, but More Work Remains